Golf: DiLisio wins District crown, is one of five to advance to Eastern Regional Tournament

Methacton golfer Brandon Vance watches his shot from the fairway during a match recently against Spring-Ford. Vance finished sixth in the District One Championships final round, Wednesday, and will advance to the Eastern Regional Tournament, to be played Oct. 16 at Golden Oaks GC. (John Strickler/ Journal Register News Service)

LIMERICK – Isabella DiLisio was so focused on her own round, she was unaware what had happened to her nearest competitor, and playing partner, on the group’s ninth hole of the day.

DiLisio, a sophomore at Mount Saint Joseph who resides in Hatfield, shot a 5-under-par 66 Tuesday at Gilbertsville GC to be tied with Pennsbury’s Jackie Rogowicz heading into Wednesday’s final round at Turtle Creek GC. The pair had a six-shot cushion over third place at the halfway point.

As the two played the 18th hole Wednesday, their ninth, DiLisio was three shots back of Rogowicz. But when they made the turn, DiLisio led by one.

She would birdie her 10th hole to increase the lead, holding on for a 1-under-par 71 Wednesday to win the District One Class AAA Girls Championship by one shot.

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“Honestly, I didn’t know what she had made,” said DiLisio, who finished her two days at 6-under 137, Rogowicz coming home at 138. “I only saw her go in the water once, not twice. It didn’t affect me at the moment. She didn’t tell me until the next hole.

“I guess it gave me a little adrenaline rush. I was ahead after that. I made a 35-foot birdie putt on the next hole.”

DiLisio was one of five local players to advance out of districts to the Eastern Regional Tournament, to be played Oct. 16 at Golden Oaks GC in Fleetwood. The regional is then used to qualify players for the state championship in two weeks.

On the boys side where the top 16 gained regional berths, Upper Dublin’s Andrew Carber followed up Tuesday’s hole-in-one-highlighted 73 with a 72 Wednesday, coming in tied for third in the Boys Class AAA championship. Methacton’s Brandon Vance ended up sixth, one shot behind Carber at 146. Wissahickon’s Jalen Griffin advanced to regionals for the third straight year after his 76 Wednesday left him at 152, right on the boys’ cut line.

“Inside, I wanted to keep jumping for joy about the hole-in-one,” Carber said after he recorded his first career ace during Tuesday’s first round. “I knew I had to really stay in it through the whole round. I kept telling myself that every shot I hit in this tournament counts toward a two-day total. Every shot has great meaning.

“I’m really happy with coming back with a 72.”

Coming home Wednesday, Carber birdied the par-4 16th and just missed a birdie chance on the par-5 closing hole.

After a 2-over 74 Tuesday, Vance had it going early Wednesday, shooting a 33 on the front nine after birdies on the third, fourth and eighth holes. A triple-bogey on the 15th hole, though, dropped him from contention for the individual title.

“A 72, again, I know I could have been lower,” Vance said. “I know it’s not bad, but I was going for the win. It’s worse when you feel like you have it and lose it like that.”

For Griffin, he walked off the 18th green head held down. Having made states last year as a sophomore, he could not believe his junior season was going to end at districts.

“I thought I was so done,” he said after a second straight 76. “I couldn’t believe the way I had finished out. I thought I didn’t deserve to make it then.

“I had no hope at all.”

Griffin stood on the 14th tee Wednesday level for the day, only to hit his tee shot out of bounds and have to scramble for a double-bogey. He would then bogey the 15th and 16th holes. He survived a playoff to make regionals as a freshman in 2010, then qualified by one shot last year. This year, he finished right on the mark. Prior to districts, Griffin had played two practice rounds at Turtle Creek, only getting in 13 holes each time. For the tournament, he played the first 13 holes at even-par, then was 8-over for the two days on the final five holes of the course.

PW’s Evan Beaty shot an 80 Wednesday, leaving him just one shot from advancing to regionals. Spring-Ford’s Bennett Detweiler also came close, finishing at 154. PW and Spring-Ford were both part of the District Team Championship, the Rams finishing ninth while the Colonials were 11th. Council Rock North won the team crown.

New Hope’s Mike Massimino won the boys Class AA title after a Wednesday 71 left him at 4-over 148. Cara Basso of Villa Maria won the girls Class AA with a two-day total of 164.

DiLisio was most impressed by whom she was able to defeat to win the district crown. The finish at this year’s district tournament was the reverse of how the three finished in the state championship last year, when CR North’s Erica Herr won states, with Rogowicz coming in second and DiLisio third.

“It’s definitely high up there,” she said of the significance of Wednesday’s triumph. “District One has so many talented players. The top three from states last year are all here in District One, so it’s definitely an honor to be the champion.”